Due to growth in the north Sacramento region and success of the school district’s general obligation bond, Natomas USD converted American Lakes, Bannon Creek and Jefferson Schools into K-8 models. This includes modernization of the administration and learning resource centers, as well as new classroom and gymnasium facilities. The new construction elements were purposefully designed to be site adapted for cost and time savings, with American Lakes’ and Jefferson’s scoped to include a single-story classroom building (containing five and seven classrooms, respectively, with similar features/details), and all three campuses are receiving a new gymnasium with specialized learning spaces. New track and field and play structures are being implemented at all three sites. At Bannon Creek and Jefferson Schools, recent modernization of the sites allowed for minimal upgrades.
The architectural vocabulary for the design resonates from the agricultural history of the Natomas area, including metal panel and “barn like” roof elements. Colors vary to represent each school’s existing palette and buildings are mirrored or flipped to provide optimum access and security on-site. As with any K-8 conversion, special attention was paid to the separation of upper and lower grades and a dedicated middle school “quad” was incorporated into each design to support the middle school’s identity.
